 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Elaine Conley, RN, MPH, Office of the Director, Alameda County Public Health Department, 1000 Broadway, Suite 500, Oakland, CA 94607, 510-208-5948, econley@co.alameda.ca.us
Based on a national survey in 1/03 there is clear evidence that nurses need to receive increased training on their roles in bioterrorism and/or a disaster. Basic competancies for bioterrorism have been developed by Christine Gebbie and tohers, but these are not specific enough to direct Public Health Nursing Practice in a bioterrorist even or human-made disaster.
In response to this Alameda County Public Health Department has developed a specific Bioterrorism/Disaster Response Plan for Public Health Nursing. This plan includes the specific areas Public Health Nursing will have responsibility in and includes: Epidemiology/Surveillance, Case/Contact Investigation, Prophylaxis, Triage, Shelter Assessment, Community Assessment, and Risk Communication.
This presentation will also discuss issues for professional practice that are being raised by Bioterrorism/Disaster preparedness and the conflict these issues are causing staff. Finally some potential solutions to these issues will be discussed.
In summary, we are living in scary and uncertain times and public health agencies have an opportunity and responsibility to meet this challenge. Public Health Nurses are being challenged in ways we may not have been challenged before, or not in a long time. We must step forward to accept these challenges and use our interpersonal influence to bring our peers, staff and communities along so that we are truly prepared to meet whatever challenges may come our way.
Learning Objectives:
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.